


Panglossian

by handelgamer



Series: Desperation - XIVWrite2020 [18]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Gen, Intrusive Thoughts, and gaining confidence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:47:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26550853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/handelgamer/pseuds/handelgamer
Summary: Learning to manage your fears in time.
Series: Desperation - XIVWrite2020 [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1905949
Collections: #FFxivWrite Final Fantasy 30 Day Writing Challenge - Complete Works, #FFxivWrite2020 Final Fantasy 30 Day Writing Challenge





	Panglossian

_How can I die from this?_ It was a thought that used to run through Mariko’s head near constantly.  These thoughts occur you nearly drown, especially when you have parents that constantly state the dangers of going outside of Ul’dah, of many things that find  lalafel delicious. It was...a bit disconcerting how much they both knew about that. So he learned how to draw a bow from a young age, how to wield a knife, and especially how to stab something in the mouth as tried to eat you.

All those scenarios ran through his head as he made his break for the Shroud. What’s going to eat me? What if I get kidnapped? What if  _they find me!?_ And then he ran into a pugilist and a thaumaturge running afoul of the beasts of the Shroud. Or so he perceived. Echo was even more vague back when he started.

Gods, he was just a bundle of anxious nerves back then. Still had that knife, though now he was so much better at shooting things, even at close range. Now the worries come with things he can’t immediately stab. Monsters, he  could deal with. Drowning? Poison? People? Those  were always going to be things he  would have to be cautious around.

But he had friends now, allies, people looking out for him and supporting him. At this point, even with the sorrows, he wouldn’t change anything about his past.

**Author's Note:**

> I remember 1.0 Lalafell Path Companion personality being "entirely and timid" and I was like, Mariko's an outgoing version of that! My poor traumatized boy who gets more traumatized when things go along. Ahhh my boy.


End file.
